In a hybrid electric vehicle having an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, an electric vehicle (EV) mode operation in which only an electric motor is used as a motive power and a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) mode operation in which both the internal combustion engine and the electric motor are used as the motive power are selectively applied. For this purpose, the internal combustion engine and the electric motor are connected by a clutch.
In such a hybrid electric vehicle, the internal combustion engine may be still operated for charging a battery or other reasons even when a selector lever is set to a parking range in a vehicle stationary state. If a driver turns off an ignition button of the vehicle when the internal combustion engine is operated in the vehicle stationary state in this manner, a fuel supply to the internal combustion engine stops while the clutch is engaged.
With respect to the case described above, JP H08-121203A, published in 1996 by the Japan Patent Office, proposes a hybrid electric vehicle in which the clutch is disengaged and thereafter fuel supply to the internal combustion engine stops.